Premium-priced Ghibli plays the passion card
MASERATI may be expanding its reach with the smaller Ghibli sedan and the Levante SUV that’s due next year, but don’t be fooled into thinking that this snazzy Italian brand is ‘going mainstream’ or ‘gunning for the Germans’.
Sure, sales have surged in the last few years, rising to 36 000 last year from 6200 in 2012, but in order to keep its badge relatively exclusive, Maserati promises that it’ll never build more than 70 000 cars in a single year. The BMW Group churned out over two million vehicles last year, just to put things into perspective.
The Ghibli is built on a downsized version of the Quattroporte’s platform and is slightly larger than the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes EClass, although it hardly looks its generous size.
With classic sports sedan proportions - long front, pert tail - and seductively sporty yet sensibly neat lines, the Ghibli looks mighty attractive for a four-door that’s as practical as it is. On that note, two average-sized adults will fit comfortably in the back, with ample legroom and sufficient head space. Technically there is seating for three back there but the giant trans- mission tunnel makes it a bit of a squeeze.
All that aforementioned style and exclusivity come at a price, however, with the 301kW Ghibli S, featured here, retailing at R1 622 000. That’s about R500 000 dearer than the more powerful BMW 550i and even if we bring Germany’s swankier saloons into the picture, it’s hard to escape the fact that you’ll pay R427 000 less for Merc’s equivalent CLS.
That premium price tag is reflected more in the Ghibli’s exclusivity than in its overall ability as it’s certainly not half-a-million-rand better than any of its perceived rivals, though it does know how to pull heart strings.
Sink into the cabin, which you would have tailored to your own tastes through a tantalising array of available colour and trim combinations, and it certainly makes a highquality assault on your senses, with its beautifully crafted seats and soft, plush dashboard. Yet some of the bits and pieces knock the ambience down a notch or two, particularly those silver plastic bits in prominent places, which could surely have been replaced with proper satin chrome surfacing – given what you’re paying.
The central part of the dash also looks a bit too businesslike for such a stylish car, with its air vents sensibly plonked on either side of the 21cm touch-screen, but the set-up does at least put the command centre within easy reach. The infotainment system is rather easy to use and integrates navigation, a reverse camera as well as (optional) Siri functionality for iPhone users and you can also order it with WLAN technology to create a Wi-Fi hotspot.
The Ghibli comes with a decent eight-speaker audio system but if only the finest acoustics will do, you can order a more premium Bowers & Wilkins Premium surround sound system.
Yet if you’re like me you might not want to drown out the spine-tingling bellow of this Maser’s twinturbocharged direct injection 3-litre V6 petrol engine, which is good for 301kW at 5500rpm (though it’ll rev to 6500) and 550Nm from 1750. Toss aside your fancy leathers and chromes because this gem of an engine is the real pièce de résistance here.
Forget that it’s built by Ferrari – granted, that’s a big bragging right if that’s your thing – this motor just sounds so sweet and delivers rapid, flexible acceleration through its smooth-shifting eight-speed ZF autobox. Granted, this is no M5, but it did get us from 0-100km/h in a shade under 5.6 seconds at altitude. To match the soundtrack to the driving mood, the exhaust also has pneumatic valves, which open up to crank the mechanical volume when you select the gearbox’s sport mode. You can also swop cogs manually if the urge strikes, through flappy paddles on the steering wheel.
Maserati’s chassis engineers have struck a fine balance between agility and ride quality, even with the standard non-adjustable suspension (Skyhook adaptive damping is optional). Though the suspension is set slightly on the firm side, the ride quality is comfortable, even on slightly bumpy roads. It also corners rather well for a portly 1.8-ton car, although the steering could certainly do with a bit more feel.
When it comes to driving aids and assistance systems, Maserati has kept things rather basic considering the fanciest toy it offers is Blind Spot Alert. This is in stark contrast to the seemingly gazillions of gadgets that the Germans offer nowadays. VERDICT Buying the Ghibli is a bit like strolling into one of those fancy boutique stores in Sandton and splashing R10 000 on a pair of shoes, even though you know you can get an equally good pair with a less prestigious label for two grand. The Ghibli simply doesn’t offer value for money in the traditional sense, but if you’re prepared to pay a premium for exclusivity, added prestige and style, then this racy sedan is a most enjoyable way to splash out. Now for that yacht …